Panel crimping tool



Jan. 14, 1969 BUSKE 3,421,356

PANEL CRIMPING TOOL Filed April 28, 1967 I Sheet I N 52 LL INVENTOR GERD BUSKE ATTORNEY Jan. 14, 1969 G. BUSKE 3,421,356

PANEL CRIMPING TOOL Filed April 28, 1967 Sheet 2 aft? ATTORNEY United States Patent US. Cl. 72--387 Int. Cl. B21d 9/05. B21d 19/08 4 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE The tool is designed for use in crimping an upstanding flange on one panel downwardly over the edge of another overlying panel. Typically, the panels are those of an automobile door. The panels are arranged with the edges of the overlying panel disposed against the upstandin-g flange of the lower panel. The tool has a flat anvil which underlies the lower panel and upstanding stop plates which lie against the lower panels upstanding flange. A hammer head, pivoted to the tool frame, is adapted to be connected to the piston rod of an air hammer. When the air hammer is actuated, the hammer head swings over and bends the upstanding flange on the lower panel down over the edge of the overlying panel.

Field of invention The invention relates to metal deforming by relatively moving oflset tool faces wherein the tool motion is in a fixed path.

The primary object of this invention is to provide a tool by means of which a body-shop repairman can quickly and firmly secure an outer door panel to an inner door panel. More particularly, it is proposed to provide a tool to be held in one hand at the edge of the preliminarily assembled door panels, the tool having a swinging hammer head which is attached to the piston of an air hammer which is held in the other hand. By providing the tool with a flat anvil plate and upstanding stop plates, it can be moved along the upstanding flange of the outer door panel, first for establishing a few spaced preliminary crimps, and then moved back along the intervening spaces between the preliminary crimps to complete the crimp along the entire edge of the door.

These and other objects will be apparent from the specification and drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the tool and air hammer;

FIG. 2 is a front elevation of the tool alone; and

FIGS. 3, 4 and 5 are side elevations of the tool at the start, middle and finish of a typical crimping operation.

Referring first to FIGS. 1 and 2 of the drawings, in which like reference numerals denote similar elements, the panel crimping tool 2 comprises two spaced frame pieces 4 and 6 between which is welded the post 8 of a depending handle 10. Across the tops of frame pieces 4 and 6 at the fronts thereof is welded a fiat anvil plate 12, and at the rear of the anvil plate are welded two spaced upstanding stop plates 14 and 16. The shank of a hook-shape hammer head 18 is pivotally supported by a pintle 20 between the rear ends of frame plates 4 and 6, it being noteworthy that hammer head 18 is free to swing through the space between stop plates 14 and 16 towards anvil plate 12. Hammer head 18 is connected by a pivot 20 between two jaws 24, 26 which are welded or otherwise secured to the piston 28 of an air hammer 30. Air hammer 30 is connected by a hose 32 to a suitable source of compressed air so that when its trigger 34 is pulled, piston 28 shoots forwardly so as to rock hammer head 18 forwardly against anvil plate 12.

FIGS. 3, 4 and 5 illustrate typical operation of the tool. Fragmentarily illustrated is a door assembly 36 having an inner panel 38 and an outer panel 40, the latter of which is provided with an upstanding flange 42. The panels are preliminarily arranged as shown in FIG. 3, with the inner panel 38 resting in the outer panel 40, outer panel 40 resting on anvil plate 12, and with flange 42 against stop plates 14, 16. At the start, hammer head 18 is retracted away from the work. When air hammer 30 is actuated, hammer head 18 extends forwardly to engage the free edge of flange 42 and then, upon further forward extension of the hammer head, flange 42 is crimped down over the free edge portion of the inner panel 38. A few spaced crimps will hold the panels together, and by moving tool 2 along the edge of the panel assembly, repeated blows of hammer head 18 will establish a continuous crimp which holds the panels together and finishes the edge of the panel assembly.

The invention is not limited to the details shown and described, but is intended to cover all substitutions, modifications and equivalents within the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. A panel crimping tool comprising,

a frame,

an anvil plate on said frame, stop means upstanding from said anvil plate,

, a hammer head pivotally supported on said frame for swinging movement towards and away from said anvil plate,

and means for pivotally connecting said hammer head to the piston rod of a power-actuated piston-rod recip rocating device.

2. A panel crimping tool as defined in claim 1,

said stop means comprising a pair of stop plates disposed at right angles to said anvil plate with a space therebetween,

said hammer head being pivotally supported on said frame for swinging along an are which passes through the space between said stop plates.

3. A panel crimping tool as defined in claim 1,

and handle means for manually supporting said tool beneath an edge portion of a panel assembly.

4. A panel crimping tool comprising,

a pair of spaced parallel frame strips adapted to be horizontally disposed, a depending handle post rigidly secured between said frame strips and extending downwardly therefrom,

a horizontally disposed anvil plate aflixed across the upper sides of said frame strips adjacent one end thereof,

a hook-shaped hammer head having a shank portion connected by a pivot between the other ends of said frame pieces and having a free end portion disposed towards said anvil plate,

a pair of spaced upstanding stop plates disposed between the hammer head pivot and the anvil plate,

said hammer head being reciprocatable towards and away from said anvil plate through the space between the stop plates,

3 4 and means for pivotally connecting the hammer head 2,741,765 4/1956 Bruggmann 29-243.58 to a power-actuated reciprocating device. 3,188,729 6/ 1965 Pogue 11354 References Cited Primary Examiner. UNITED STATES PATENTS 5 G. P. CROSBY, Assistqnt Examiner.

2,432,121 12/1947 Nickell 11354 2,436,278 2/1948 Willett 29-24357 2,707,510 5/1955 Gershon 72-379 72453; 29-200, 243.58; 11354 

